Asbestos Fiber Poisoning
When a substance with asbestos content is disturbed or broken down, its fibers are discharged and remain suspended in the air. Anybody that breathes these fibers in may experience asbestos poisoning.
Asbestos fibers are very fine, almost 1200 times finer than human hair. So even when there is already a very large quantity of asbestos fibers in the air, they are hardly noticeable. A lot of individuals have breathed in asbestos fibers daily, sometimes for years, without even being aware of it.
Fatal Diseases Caused by Asbestos Poisoning
Serious, even life-threatening conditions can happen as a result of asbestos poisoning. Some of these are:
*Asbestosis - a scarring of the lung tissue which can be fatal; the disease severely hinders the patient from breathing.
*Lung Cancers - may be small cell or non-small cell lung cancer
*Mesothelioma - malignant cancer of the pericardium or mesothelium (tissues within the cavity)
*Damage of the Immune System
*Pulmonary hypertension
*Other damages in the digestive and respiratory systems
Symptoms of Asbestos Poisoning
When a disease occurred due to asbestos poisoning, the symptoms normally exhibit decades after the mineral fibers have been inhaled, generally ten to forty years later. Symptoms may be any of the following:
*Abdominal Mass
*Abdominal swelling or pains
*Anemia
*Fatigue
*Loss of Weight
*Pain in the chest wall and below the rib cage
*Pleural effusion (or fluid buildup in the lungs)
*Severe coughing
*Shortness of breath
Identifying Products and Materials that Contain Asbestos
From 1976, British companies that manufacture asbestos-containing materials put labels on them to indicate asbestos content.
The product manufacturer or supplier should be able to tell you if there is asbestos content. Most often, homes that were built at around the same time have similar materials. Your neighbors may be able to tell if asbestos surveys have been done and what are the results of these surveys.
You may also seek assistance from your local Environment Health Council to identify asbestos-containing products in your home. They may also be the right persons to ask if surveys have been made in your area.
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